Condensate handling apparatus



Jan. 15, 1935. W` c, GREENEA 1,988,382

ONDENSATE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Deo. 30, 1951 INVETOR ML TER CGRISE/v5 ATTORNEYS ;handling the liquid condensate.

;vention. y

Referring to the drawing, 1 represent .afsuitf-v Patented Jan. I5, 1935UNITEDsTATEs .1,988,382 v HANDLING APPARATUS coNnENsATE NT OFFICE Aj iWalter C. Greene, Cleveland lileiglits,A Ohio f Applicationpecemher so,i9s1, seria1Ne. 58s,s97 izclaims.y (c1. zar-sry This invention relatesto heating apparatus of the type utilizing both high and low steampressure, with an'air pump for; producing a suction or, vacuum effectanda Water pump for One object of the invention is to provide a crossconnection between the high and low pressure parts of the system,together with control means therefor, arranged in suchmanner that `instarting the system the vacuumv effect ap;

plied to the low vpressure return line is also made eiective inthe highpressure return line,y

to quickly remove air or Vapor and expeditethe distribution of heatingsteam, b ut which` is rendered ineffective there in\ when thehigh-pressure return line comes upto operating temperature.

A further object lof the-invention is to p rovide 'an improvedarrangement in which priming liquid for the air pump is constantly sup-.plied to it at relatively low temperature from a low temperature partof the high pressure` reservoir, to constantly maintain condensate y thepump effective in operation.

A further object of the invention is to pro- .vide apparatus of thiskindin which a full supply' of water is maintained and constantlyIcooled in the high pressure condensate reservoir, by direct deliveryfrom the water pump, for the purpose of always insuring suiiicient coolpriming liquid for the airpuznp.

A further object of the invention is to pro' vide an arrangement inwhich the water pump discharges condensate directly to the boiler, but

not hot condensate, due to constant mixture of the condensates from bothhigh and. l0.w.;pres.

sure return lines and theventing to atmosphere of the high pressurecondensate reservoir with accompanying drop in condensate temperaturetherein, and wherein, furthermore, all air ory ,vapor in the water pumpsupply 4is taken off by the air pump in advanceof delivery of such watersupplied to the water pump..

'I'he foregoing andother features of the in' vention will be brought outin the following deing system or plant with the condensate handlingapparatus applied theretofand inl an en larged arrangement to clearlyillustrate@ the 'inl'- to a low pressure steam line 6 linvturnconnected'A toa plurality-of heat radiatingdevices, such as radiators,for `heating purposes. lTherey is an inlet. connection and supply valveassembly .7 n for eachy radiator and av thermostatic lreturny trap 8,the thermostatic. traps being.. connected to the lowpressure return line9.

Beyond the connection 4 the otherhigh pressurevsteam branch or arm 10leads to such heat radiating `.devices as' a cooker, .generally indi#'cated at 11, and a Yblast coil, generally indicated 101.

at 12.y All of these' devices. are .provided with:

their own traps 13 andvall traps are connected.

to the high pressure return line 14. 1

Mounted at any suitable point, preferably be| low the water level inthe. boiler, is apump cas'-y 15v l ing containing both air andwater pumpunits or f members on a pump `shaft 16 adapted to be driven by a motor17.y This .shaft carries anair rotor 18 of any preferred type. adapted'to pro' duce a vacuum or suction effect by drawing.'r airV 2u'lvascribed` to-air `rotor.18,` other advantages are 301i.

realizedonly if a certainf type .of air pumpuisl. used. 'The pumpillustrated in the drawingcom`iiI prises a-.rotor `in hydraulicbalancerevolving` freely in an .elliptical casing 4containing water.

The water turns with .the rotor and' follows the'. 35.:

casing impelledwby centrifugal force'. Asi the' i water alternatelyrecedes from 'and .is `forced back into 'the rotor, it draws in airthrough suit" ably located-inlet ports and discharges itgagain throughother y outlet ports. charges smallamounts of water whichy shouldA bereturnedto the system or the'loss .becomesy considerable over anextended period. Also, such a pump should be continuously primed withrelatively cool Water. for the duty outlined herein.

`Mounted-above the. pump'casing is a tank 24 forming a .high pressurecondensate reservoirv havinga main compartment and an auxiliaryi highpressure returnfcompartment 26,1 the" two beingrforrned by averticalzwall oripartition 27 50,

extending up from the bottom of the tank to a point .near the top,thereby leavingan opening abovek thepaitition. This .tank is connected"by a `manifold structurewith therair pump. The

. manifold structure inclu-des a conduites leading 5151- and-todischarge. 25..

Such a pump dis-i 40 to the pump inlet port 19 and another conduit 29communicating with the top of the water chamber of the water pump, as at30. These .two conduits 28 and 29 'extend upwardly side by side and arecross connected at the top where they Vcommunicated with a pipe 31leading to the low pressure condensate reservoir to be described.

In addition to the conduits already described, the manifold referred toincludes a conduit 33 which leads from the air exhaust'port 240 o f theair or ,vacuum pump `and communicatesfby a connection 34 with the vaporspace in the top of the tank 24. A check valve 34' is provided `in theconnection 34 to preventreturn flow from the tank to the air pump.

The tank 24 is preferablyiprovided with an air relief or vent 35placedwabove the highjrpressure return compartment- `26 and'iwhchventsany airv and steam which may accumulate inthe top of .the tank. Thisopen vent alsopromptly` reduces the*` temperature of anylcondensatewhich; reaches the tank attemperaturesabove boiling. ".:The vaporportion of the tank is connected toa suitable strainer 36 jinthe highpres- `risesranddischarges some of the water therein.l

' intoithe low` pressure reservoir..

Connected tothe .water supply pipe 22 for the sure.. return .-pipe.Spaced` above the bottom ofy water pump,` is a casing 41 containing achecky .valve 42-'closing toward thelow` pressurecondensate 'reservoir43. This check 'valve 41 Yis connected .to the side ofthe .low pressurecondensate reservoir and communicatesl therewith through a strainer 45in chamber 44. The .upper 40.,portion of reservoir 43 .is connected `toYthepipe 31.1and` its `chamber Acommunicates. with a ldrain `pipe .146.coming from. the .bottom of the high pressure condensate vcompartment 26lin reserv Voir 25below the floatvalve 39.1The1ow pres- 451. surecondensate reservoir 431 also-communicates with a'pipe :47 leadingdown-:to a connection 48 at the lower fend of `the low.: pressurelreturn line 9. i:InY the Vlow pressure. condensate Y, reservoir is aoat49. pivoted at 50.' and arranged-toactuate I an larm 160.on theoutsideof the casing and con-f nectedk to a switchfmot'shown) in ftheoperating electricalicircuit to themotor 17, so thatstarting andstoppingof -the motor is. automatically convtrolled/inaccordance withthe level of liquid Vin rstheilowlpressure condensate reservoir 43. Withasuflicient accumulationof` condensate in reservoir 43 the motor startsautomatically and the two pump elements areoperatedand the condensateis'pumped back to the boiler.. At the same time, the airk pump producesa vacuum eiect which is applied` by conduit `29 tothe chamber within the.water pump casing and by pipe 31 toi thevapor space in the. lowpressure condensate reservoir. as well as to thelow pressure returnline; i

When a system of this` kind'v is started, or when it is cold andthefnecessity'arises to bring it up to full-operating condition, ,thereis Irequentlyavery material lag in the sweep of the vhigh pressure steamto all parts of the high presi-sure portion ofthe system. -The actionmay-beg expedited `by applying a vacuum effect Vto the high pressureretur'nlinel. For this purpose-I supply a cross connectionbetween thelow pressure and high pressure return.` lines, consisting of a pipe 62connected-atene endtd thelow pressure return line, as to the pipe 47,and which at its other end communicates with a thermostatic trap 63, thelatter in turn connected by a pipe` 64 to the high pressure return line14. A check valve 64' is preferably also located in the return line 14between the cross connection .and reserlvoir 25, so that the Vacuumeffect is not transmit- With this arrangement, in

ted to reservoir 25. starting or when the system is cold and is beingbrought up to operatingcondition', the thermostatic trap is open andthevacuum effect produced in reservoir 43 is communicated to the r.returnend of the high pressure part of the system, evacuating air therefromand when the steam'or returned'condensate reaches the therfmostatic`trap and heats it to the proper temperature, saidtrap closes and cutsoff the vacuum effect, so'thatthe high pressure part of the systemthereafter operates `with high pressure steam. e

VIn thearrangement described/when the condensate'from'the vhigh pressurereturn line`14 reaches reservoir `24 itsv temperature is immedi-.'

ately reduced tofboling by evacuation .through the open vent 35-t'oatmosphere of: excess steam or vaporwhch would normallyv interferewith operation of the air-pump.' As condensate ac-f cumulates in tank`24 it fills the largercom-A`4 partment Vv25 and when asuihcient'accumulation occurs in compartment 26 the'float valve risesanda portion of 'theli'quiddrains by gravity to the lowpressure-condensate reservoir 43 from which itis eventually pumped( backtothe boiler.

The larger/'compartment 25 maintained full ofA priming liquid so thatefficient andsatis'actory operation of the air ypump is assured at alltimes and lossof priming liquid immaterial.`

Furthermore', thefhot condensate in reservoir 26,

lelven though 'at boilingvtemperature, ismxed withv4 C OQler Lcondensatein reservoir 43before goingftothe.boiler.V Thecooler condensate hasaftemperature of approximately le'fand the mixture therefore goes tcftheboiler at a temperature materiallyrbelow boilingand -with no liabilityof flashing and interfering with operartionofv the airjpumpz4 Means` fisalso provided times a full-supply of liquidl in process of being cooledin` the large chamber 251 of the high presf sure condensate reservoir,to which the cooler liquid handled 'by thef water `pump is' directly`delivered by way of a pipe'f65including a' coolingV coil 66 and anadjustable valve 67 "by which the quantity'flowing may `be 'varied asdesired; This valve ,may be partially opened so as to permit a constantnow at alltimes `when the water pump 'is operatingy randV the quantitymay 4be just suiilcientto kkeepqthe chamber 25 full or,

if desired, valve67 may be opened wider and the excess water deliveredto compartment 25 and cooled by its passagethroughthe cooling coil 66will over-flow into compartment 26, mix with the hot-liquid therein andultimately beV returned to reservoir 43. 'l

Having described my 1. Heating apparatus; comprising a boiler, aplurality of steamlines connected thereto, means for..y insuring .at allinvention,IclaiIn:

for ,establishing relatively...` high: i and :low pressures. in` 'saidlines, heatyutilizing I devices'r communicating with said lineshi ghandlowpressure return. lines connectedrespectively there-z with, a;separate condensa-tec reservoir v.for :each of said return linesyfliquidpump-means for returningv the condensate .to vthe-,fboiler,'air fpumpmeans Aemploying priming liquidv rfor v.creating vacuum-in the lowpressure yreturn line, means for dissipating steam-or .vapor..from. thehigh; pressure condensate reservoir, rneansk for delivering excesscondensate from thef-high pressure. condensatereservoir =to ".the lowpressure condensate reservoir while preventing air passage between thereservoirs, and a liquid priming connection from one of said condensatereservoirs to the air pump chamber.

2. Heating apparatus, comprising a boiler, a plurality of steam linesconnected thereto, means for establishing relatively high and lowpressures in said lines, heat utilizing devices communicating with saidlines, high and low pressure return lines connected respectively withthe high and low pressure heat utilizing devices, a separate condensatereservoir for each of said return lines, pump means connected to the lowpressure condensate reservoir for returning the condensate therefrom tothe boiler and for at the same time creating a Vacuum in the lowpressure return lines, a steam and air vent for the steam and air spaceof the high pressure return reservoir, and means for delivering thecondensate from said high pressure condensate reservoir to the lowpressure condensate reservoir While preventing air passage between thereservoirs.

3. Heating apparatus, comprising a boiler, high and low pressure steamand return lines communicating therewith, heat utilizing devicesconnected between said steam and return lines, a condensate reservoircommunicating with the high pressure return line, a condensate reservoircommunicating with the low pressure return line, vacuum producing andliquid pump means connected to the low pressure condensate reservoir andarranged to deliver condensate therefrom to a boiler and at the sametime to create a vacuum effect in the low pressure condensate reservoirand return line, means for venting pressure from the high pressurecondensate reservoir, and means for periodically delivering theaccumulating condensate in the high pressure condensate reservoir to thelow pressure condensate reservoir.

4. Heating apparatus of the character described in claim 3, including avacuum producing pump means employing priming liquid, and a primingliquid supply line for conducting a cooled liquid from a 10W temperaturepoint in the high pressure condensate reservoir to the vacuum producingportion of said pump means.

5. Heating apparatus, comprising a boiler, a plurality of steam linesconnected thereto, means for establishing relatively high and lowpressures in said lines, heat utilizing devices `communicating With saidlines, high and low pressure return lines connected respectively withthe high and low pressure heat utilizing "devices, a separate condensatereservoir for each of said return lines, vacuum producing `and liquidpump means connected to the low pressure condensate reservoir forreturning the condensate therefrom to the boiler and for creating avacuum eiectin the low pressure return line, a steam and air vent forthe steam and air space of the high pressure., condensate .zreservoirga-f-drainage connection. :from` thefy vhigh --pressure condensatereservoir to .the Alow .pressure condensate'` reserJ-L voir arrangedtoxprevent thepassage of -airzbetween` reservoirs; and*` meansy vforrendering: thev vacuum: effect-.which is normally .eiective .in the lowf pressure return line;;.effective linxzthe rhighv pressurey return lineduring-starting of` therapparatus.n i" f 6'. Apparatusot` thecharacterdescribed".:in`

.turn lines connected with the high and. low

pressureheat utilizing devices, condensate collecting means for the lowpressure return line,

liquid and air pump means for simultaneously returning thecondensate tothe boiler and for creating a vacuum effect in the low pressure returnline, and a reservoir communicating with the high pressure return lineand open to atmosphere and having its lvapor space communicating withthe discharge side of the air pump means and with the low pressurereturn line and arranged to deliver its excess water accumulation intosaid collecting means while preventing the delivery of air thereto.

8. Heating apparatus ofthe character described in claim 7, includingmeans for delivering water from the liquid pump means directly to saidreservoir.

9. Heating apparatus of the character described in claim 7, includingair pump means employing a primingr liquid, means for delivering Waterfrom the liquid pump means directly to said reservoir, and a drainageconnection from a low temperature point in said reservoir to the chamberof the air pump means for conducting priming liquid thereto.

10. Heating apparatus, comprising a boiler, a plurality of steam linescommunicating therewith, means for establishing relatively high and lowpressures in said lines, heatl utilizing devices connected to said highand` low pressure steam lines, high and low pressure return jlinesconnected respectively with the high and low pressure heat utilizingdevices, condensate collecting means for the low pressure return line, acondensate reservoir for the high pressure return line, a drainageconnection therefrom to the low pressure condensate'reservoir arrangedto prevent the passage of air between reservoirs, liquid and air pumpmeans for simultaneously returning condensate to the boiler and forcreating a vacuum effect in the low pressure condensate reservoir andreturn line, means for conducting vcooled liquid from said. liquid pumpmeans to the high pressure condensate reser- Voir, andi avent toatmosphere for said high pressure condensate reservoir.

11. Apparatus lof the character described claim 10, including a crossconnection between the high and low pressure return lines for renderingthe vacuum effect in the latter effective in thek former, Vandthermostatic means sensi- Y 4 n tive .to :the temperature ,Y off Lsaidvhigh pressure return-line for `op'enngfsaid. connection when thehghpressure return line is cold. .1

12.-. Heating apparatus,l comprising `aiboiler, a

plurality of steam lines connected thereto, meansv Vfor'-y establishingrelativelyy high `and flow pressures insaid lines, heatutilizng devicescommuncating with saidlines, hghiand `low pres- .inattesa sate:reservoir tothe boiler, a-dranag'e connec-i' tion fromv the highkpressureV condensate reser' voir to the low Apressure condensatereservoir arrangedftoprevent 4the passage of airv between reservoirs,andan airfpump communicating on itsy suctioniside `with thej'lowpressure `conden-v sate reservoirand return line and with the upperportion of thechamber of the liquid pump means and on its dischargeside-With the vapor space ofthe high pressure condensate reservoini anda vent to atmosphere from the .vapor space'of` the high pressurecondensate reservoir.

Y WALTER f c. GREErm` i

